Crane removal in downtown Asheville resumes

Workers use a large mobile crane to disassemble the big blue crane used in the construction of a courthouse addition and annex.

Workers this morning resumed the job of taking down the giant blue crane that has towered over the eastern end of downtown for about two years.

Heavy rain Saturday and Sunday washed out plans to remove the crane over the weekend. It has been used over the past two years for renovations to the Buncombe County courthouse then for construction of a new courts building along College Street.

Workers were able to remove only three sections of the jib, the horizontal section of the crane, on Saturday morning before rain began, said Bill Stafford, construction manager for Buncombe County.

Eastbound College Street is closed today and may also be Tuesday morning between Spruce Street and its intersection with Oak and Valley streets at a roundabout because of the project, Stafford said. Workers expect to finish either tonight or Tuesday.

The crane's owner, Heede Southeast of Charlotte, does not allow its workers to climb on the crane to remove it during rain, he said.

Two workers on the jib late this morning looked to be about the size of toy soldiers when viewed from the ground. It is 263 feet from the ground up to the jib. A 400-ton crane has been brought in for removal of the blue crane.

- MARK BARRETT

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Crane removal in downtown Asheville resumes

Workers this morning resumed the job of taking down the giant blue crane that has towered over the eastern end of downtown Asheville for about two years.